Residential and commercial buildings must generally comply with certain fire safety standards such as set forth by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), or other administrative agency. For example, wood joists and sheet rock are typically used to create a finished room in a residential or commercial building. When using such materials, the building room or structure must typically satisfy a specific UL “fire-rated” assembly standard. For example, one applicable test is UL's 1 hr. Fire Rated L-500 Floor-Ceiling Assembly test. This test measures and rates a given floor-ceiling recessed assembly for fire safety compliance, as related to flame containment and thermal transfer to adjacent joist spaces. Additional safety standards, such as UL 1598, apply to recessed lighting assemblies or fixtures and electrical enclosures for use in residential and commercial applications.
In current residential and commercial buildings, recessed lighting assemblies or fixtures are typically installed in a space between the ceiling joists, rafters or I-beams (e.g., “ceiling support members”) and above an existing ceiling substrate, i.e., drywall, plaster, wood, planking, etc. After making the proper electrical connections, drywall is usually attached to the ceiling support members concealing the recessed lighting assembly. The installer then cuts a hole into a surface of the drywall of the ceiling to access the recessed lighting assembly below the ceiling surface for fixture lamping, and finished trim installation. As a result, the recessed lighting assembly is positioned in relation to the ceiling surface to distribute light into the room.
However, one problem associated with installing a conventional recessed lighting assembly in such a manner is that the hole cut in the surface can change the UL fire safety ratings of the conventional recessed lighting assembly as a result of the ceiling structure being breached. For example, by cutting a hole into the ceiling, a non-continuous surface results and the conventional recessed lighting assembly may no longer satisfy certain UL fire safety standards. Flame, heat or both may enter the space above the conventional recessed lighting assembly via the non-continuous surface with the ceiling causing severe damage or total loss of the structure.
To inhibit this problem from incurring, a builder or installer may fabricate a conventional “fire box” around the conventional recessed lighting assembly just prior to installation to create a continuous ceiling surface. The “fire box” is typically made from the same drywall used to form an adjacent ceiling. Most building inspectors interpret such a continuous ceiling surface as complying with all applicable fire standards as long as the appropriate materials are used. However, because the fire box is unattached and must be fabricated by the installer separately from the lighting assembly, a substantial amount of additional time, materials and expense can be incurred. Moreover, because most builders are unsure of the minimum size box to provide sufficient fire safety, exceedingly large boxes are typically utilized, causing unnecessary cost and expense. Further, during typical operating conditions of a conventional recessed lighting assembly, the temperature of the materials used to fabricate the fire box needs to remain at or below 125 degrees Fahrenheit in order to maintain the fire resistant properties of the materials. However, these operating conditions of a conventional recessed lighting assembly have been proven to be economically prohibitive to monitor and control.
Therefore, a need exists for a recessed lighting assembly that overcomes the problems noted above and others previously experienced for inhibiting heat in a room from traveling through a ceiling, floor, or wall of the room via the recessed lighting assembly. These and other needs will become apparent to those of skill in the art after reading the present specification.